The University System of Georgia (USG) Foundation made a significant advancement in student support during its 21st annual Regents’ Scholarship Gala, raising over $4.5 million from sponsors to expand need-based scholarships for students across the state. The gala also celebrated leadership and dedication, honoring former Board of Regents Chairman Don Waters with the Elridge McMillan Lifetime Achievement Award, the Foundation’s highest honor, in recognition of his extraordinary service to USG.
Building on this momentum, the Foundation launched the new DREAMS Scholarship, designed to bridge financial aid gaps and provide new opportunities for students. The inaugural scholarship was awarded to Giuli Capparelli Sanabria, a biology junior at Georgia Tech. The program complements the merit-based HOPE Scholarship by covering essential college expenses for undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need after all other aid has been applied.
The DREAMS Scholarship is funded in part with $2 million in seed money from the Truist Charitable Fund and offers eligible students up to $3,000 annually. Beyond financial support, the program encourages student responsibility through part-time employment or volunteer service and provides financial literacy education to help students thrive academically and professionally. Eventually, the scholarship aims to serve students in both the USG and the Technical College System of Georgia.
USG Chancellor Sonny Perdue highlighted the scholarship’s role in expanding access to higher education, noting that many students would struggle to meet even small emergency expenses without support. Data shows that students who do not need to take time off for financial reasons are significantly more likely to graduate. The program thus strengthens Georgia’s talent pipeline and contributes to the state’s economic growth.
During the gala, the Foundation also recognized 13 exceptional faculty, alumni, and friends with awards for their commitment to teaching excellence and support of USG students. This included faculty honored with the Felton Jenkins Jr. Hall of Fame Faculty Award, the Regents’ Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Awards, and the Regents’ Teaching Excellence Award for Online Teaching.
Over the past two decades, the USG Foundation has awarded more than $16 million in need-based scholarships to over 16,000 students, with record-breaking donor support of $7.9 million raised in fiscal year 2024 alone. Leaders emphasized that initiatives like the DREAMS Scholarship, combined with continued philanthropic support, create meaningful pathways for student success and ensure long-term impact on Georgia’s higher education landscape.
